Koanbanchinemma (do you see the light (in me)) is a new exhibit opening in Lyman Plant House at the beginning of November. The exhibit features six Nipmuc artists, cultural and land stewards: Rachel Healing Willow Bayliss (Natick Nipmuc), Willow Daly and Keely Curliss (of Pequoig Farm), Scott  Strong Hawk Foster, Andre StrongBearHeart Gaines, and Kimberly Toney. Toney, who is the Coordinating Curator for Native American and Indigenous Collections at Brown University, is co-curator of this exhibit in partnership with the Botanic Garden of Smith College and with the support of the Smith College Office of the Arts. 

As Toney has written in the exhibit text:

At its core, this exhibition calls for a heightened awareness of the ways in which Indigenous knowledge systems can awaken our senses, our understanding, and our collective responsibility to care for the natural world. Through the contributions of Nipmuc artists and cultural practitioners, this work foregrounds Indigenous methodologies, challenging dominant narratives of environmental stewardship and knowledge production.

Please check back in the coming weeks for more information on the exhibit, opening reception and associated events.